Siddharth Prafull Jadhav MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Roy Francisco Riascos MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Lisa Vu BA, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Stephen Kwun Wong MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Diana Maria Palacio MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Thomas K. Nishino PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jigar Natwar Patel MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kristen Ethridge MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The purpose of this study is to compare the sensitivity of multiplanar reformats (MPR) and sharpening kernel using data from thoraco-abdomino-pelvic 64 multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the detection of thoracolumbar spine lesions in trauma patients.

A total of 131 patients requiring thoraco-abdomino-pelvic trauma CT were analyzed retrospectively to detect associated spinal injuries. A 64 slice Somatom sensation (Siemens) scanner was used for all the patients. The images were obtained at 0.625mm slice thickness and were reconstructed at 2.5 cm for interpretation. These were used for multiplanar reformats of the spine. Each of the 131 studies was interpreted by a faculty and a resident using multiplanar reformats. Another faculty and resident used the sharpening kernel and interpreted the studies. The findings were compared to the gold standard read which was obtained by two radiology attendings who analyzed the 131 studies using all the available data.

Out of 131 patients, 34 patients had a total of 78 fracture-dislocations of the spine. Using the sharpening kernel, sensitivity was 60.90% with a standard deviation of 0.91% while using MPR the sensitivity was only 41.03% with a standard deviation of 1.81%. This difference was significant at 95% confidence interval (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in positive predictive value between the two groups which was 88.94% and 91.86% for sharpening kernel and MPR groups respectively. There was no significant difference in sensitivity between the faculty reads and resident reads. The faculty reads had a better positive predictive value as compared to resident reads which was moderately significant (p=0.09)

Using the sharpening kernel significantly improves the sensitivity in detection of spine fracture-dislocations using data from body trauma 64 slice MDCT as opposed to using MPR alone without sharpening.

Sensitivity in detecting spinal injuries from a trauma body 64 MDCT can be significantly improved by using the sharpening kernel instead of MPR alone which has low sensitivity.

Jadhav, S, Riascos, R, Vu, L, Wong, S, Palacio, D, Nishino, T, Patel, J, Ethridge, K, et al, , Comparison between PACS Multiplanar Reformats and Sharpening Tool in the Detection of Spinal Lesions in Trauma Using 64 Multidetector CT.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6013601.html